Impatiens plant named &#39;didi appleblossom&#39;

ABSTRACT

An impatiens cultivar particularly distinguished by soft-pink colored flowers, compact habit and good basal branching.

GENUS AND SPECIES

[0001]Impatiens walleriana

VARIETY DENOMINATION

[0002] ‘Didi Appleblossom’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

[0003] The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofimpatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Didi Appleblossom’. The new cultivaris asexually reproduced from vegetative cuttings and tissue cultureresulting from the cross of the seed/pod parent IDT-32-49, a whiteproprietary line that is unnamed and unpatented×IN-1787-7, a lightsalmon-rose proprietary line that is unnamed and unpatented.

[0004] ‘Didi Appleblossom’ is a product of a planned breeding programintended to create new impatiens plants with soft pink colored flowers,compact habit, good basal branching and moderately vigorous growth.

[0005] The new cultivar was created in 2000 in Andijk, The Netherlandsand has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings andtissue culture in Gilroy, Calif., Andijk, The Netherlands and Guatemalaover a two and half year period. The plant has also been trialed atGilroy, Calif., Litchfield, Mich. and Andijk, The Netherlands. Thepresent invention has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations; and this novelty isfirmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

[0006] This new impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotograph which shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in fullcolor, the colors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

[0007] The photograph shows the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

[0008] The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Didi Appleblossom’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inGilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on 6 month old plants grownin 6-inch pots, in a poly-covered greenhouse under natural light andcolor readings were taken in the greenhouse. Plants had been cut backnumerous times prior to data readings taken. Color references areprimarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society ofLondon (RHS). Texture description details were observed under adissecting microscope according to The New Royal Horticultural SocietyDictionary of Gardening (1992).

THE PLANT

[0009] Classification:

[0010]Botanical.—Impatiens walleriana.

[0011]Commercial.—Impatiens.

[0012] Form: Compact, small mounded.

[0013] Growth and branching habit: Compact habit, good basal branching,moderately vigorous, pinching of the terminal apices enhances branching.

[0014] Height: From soil level to top of blooms: Approximately 10-20 cm.

[0015] Width: Approximately 30-40 cm including flowers.

[0016] Time to produce a finished flowering plant: 8-10 weeks for a4-inch pot.

[0017] Outdoor plant performance: Shade, intermediate flowering,free-flowering all year, some heat tolerance. Use in hanging baskets,mixed containers, window boxes and mass plantings.

[0018] Time to initiate and develop roots: Approximately 10-21 days inthe greenhouse.

[0019] Root description: Fibrous, fleshy, white.

THE LEAVES

[0020] Arrangement: Alternate.

[0021] Length: 4.0-6.0 cm.

[0022] Width: 2.9-3.2 cm.

[0023] Leaf blade shape: Ovate.

[0024] Leaf margin: Crenate with ciliate (1) between each lobe.

[0025] Apex aspect: Cuspidate with one ciliate at the tip.

[0026] Base aspect: Acuminate.

[0027] Foliage color: Upper side, RHS 147A (yellow-green); Underside,RHS 147B (yellow-green) with 137C (green) veining.

[0028] Texture: Glabrous.

[0029] Venation: Pinnate.

[0030] Venation color: RHS 145C (green), fading into the leaf untilalmost disappearing.

[0031] Petiole length: 1.0-1.3 cm.

[0032] Petiole diameter: 0.25-0.3 cm.

[0033] Petiole color: RHS 145C (green).

[0034] Petiole texture: Glabrous.

THE STEM

[0035] Length: 20-25 cm.

[0036] Diameter: 0.3-0.5 cm.

[0037] Internode length: 0.1 -1.4 cm.

[0038] Color: Between RHS 144A and B (yellow-green).

[0039] Texture: Glabrous.

[0040] Stem anthocyanin: No.

[0041] Pedicel diameter: 0.15 cm.

[0042] Pedicel length: 2.1-2.4 cm.

[0043] Pedicel color: RHS 144C (yellow-green).

[0044] Pedicel texture: Glabrous.

[0045] Peduncle length: 1.9-2.1 cm.

[0046] Peduncle diameter: 0.2 cm.

[0047] Peduncle color: RHS 144C (yellow-green).

[0048] Peduncle texture: Glabrous.

THE BUD

[0049] Shape: Ovate.

[0050] Diameter: 0.8-1.2 cm.

[0051] Length: 1.0-1.5 cm.

[0052] Color at tight bud: RHS 62D (red-purple) with prominent RHS 144A(yellow-green) keel down the topside.

THE FLOWER

[0053] Blooming habit: Continuous and freely all through the year.

[0054] Inflorescence type: Racemes in leaf axis.

[0055] Number of flowers per raceme and/or whorl: 11-20 including buds.

[0056] Floret form: Fully double, rosette forming.

[0057] Flower color: Upper side, dorsal petal RHS 69D (red-purple);lateral petals RHS 69D (red-purple) with RHS 69A (red-purple) innerpetals.

[0058] Flower color: Underside, dorsal is RHS 69D (red-purple) with akeel RHS 144A (yellow-green); lateral RHS 69D (red-purple).

[0059] Floret diameter: 3.6-4.0 cm.

[0060] Petal size, dorsal: length 1.8-1.9 cm; width 2.5-2.7 cm; shapeorbicular; apex shape retuse-emarginate. Lateral petal size: length2.0-2.2 cm; width 1.6-1.7 cm; shape obovate; apex shaperetuse-emarginate.

[0061] Petal base shape: Fused.

[0062] Petal margin: Entire.

[0063] Petal texture: Papillose.

[0064] Sepals: Three, one larger than the others with a spur.

[0065] Large sepal: Color semi translucent white with a RHS 143C (green)tip of approximately 0.1 cm; length 1.2-1.4 cm; width 0.9-1.0 cm; shapeovate; apex shape cuspidate; base shape fused.

[0066] Spur color: RHS 144C (yellow-green) with RHS 144A (yellow-green)tip of 0.1 cm in length; length 3.2-3.4 cm.

[0067] Small sepal: Color is RHS 144A (yellow-green); length 0.3 cm;width 0.1 cm; shape ovate; apex shape acute; base shape fused.

[0068] Sepal texture: Glabrous.

[0069] Lastingness of individual blooms: 4-8 days.

[0070] Fragrance: None.

THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

[0071] There are no reproductive organs on these flowers. Stamens andpistils are transformed into flower leaves.

DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANCE

[0072] Not observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

[0073] ‘Didi Appleblossom’ differs from the female parent in thefollowing ways. The female is a white and single flowered while the‘Didi Appleblossom’ is a soft pink and double flowered.

[0074] ‘Didi Appleblossom’ differs from the male parent in the followingways. The male is a light salmon-rose and single flowered while the‘Didi Appleblossom’ is a soft pink and double flowered. ‘DidiAppleblossom’ also has more compact habit than the male.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of impatiens plant as shown anddescribed herein.